41-24609 Holy Mackerel

Sergeant Vernon E. Carlson, of the 303rd Bomb Group, paints the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Holy Mackeral". Passed for publication 16 Dec 1942. Printed caption on reverse: '"Everything under control" is the optimistic message sent by Sgt. Vernon E. Carlson of the Air Corps, whose home is at 1431 N. Mayfield Ave, Chicago. He used to be with the Goetz Elevator Co. He is 29 and unmarried. O.P.S. shows him painting "Holy Mackerel" on a plane.' On reverse: Current Affairs Ltd, US Army Press C media-407541.jpg FRE 4174 Sergeant Vernon E. Carlson, of the 303rd Bomb Group, paints the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Holy Mackeral". Passed for publication 16 Dec 1942. Printed caption on reverse: '"Everything under control" is the optimistic message sent by Sgt. Vernon E. Carlson of the Air Corps, whose home is at 1431 N. Mayfield Ave, Chicago. He used to be with the Goetz Elevator Co. He is 29 and unmarried. O.P.S. shows him painting "Holy Mackerel" on a plane.' On reverse: Current Affairs Ltd, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 4174 - Sergeant Vernon E. Carlson, of the 303rd Bomb Group, paints the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Holy Mackeral". Passed for publication...

B-17F 41-24609 'Holy Mackerel' assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-Q] Bangor 3-Oct-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42. On 23-Nov-43 the aircraft flown by Maj. George L. Robinson was the lead aircraft of the 303BG formation in the attack on the U-Boat Pens at St. Nazaire, France on the 4th mission for the Group. The aircraft was damaged by flak and the Navigator, Capt Harold Fulghum, thinking that the flak had killed the pilot, baled out of the aircraft and was taken Prisoner. No MACR issued.



On 4-Apr-43 the aircraft was declared Missing in Action on a mission to bomb the Renault Armament Works at Paris, France. Shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed at Bocasse, 12 miles N of Rouen, France. 6KIA 4POW MACR 15069



P 1Lt Ercil F. Eyster (KIA) CP 2Lt Fred H. Hayward (KIA)

N 2Lt John D. Shanks (KIA); B/TOG SSgt Marcus K. Davis (POW)

E/TTG TSgt Harold J Dunham (KIA); RO Sgt Edmund R. Thornton (POW)

BTG Eugene A. B. Nicosia (KIA); LWG Sgt George T. Morton (POW)

RWG SSgt Robert C. Alizer (POW); TG SSgt Floyd E. Bauer (KIA)

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13035538
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38148338
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-726994
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-426125
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Places

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

4 April 1943 Shot down by enemy aircraft, crashed at Bocasse, France

Revisions

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Sources

Roger Freeman Photo.

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ContributorLee8thbuff
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Lee Cunningham 1-Dec-2014. Added 23-Nov-42 narrative to description per 303BG Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf. Made place and mission connections per 303BG Mission Report of 23-Nov-42 and MACR 15609 (4-Apr-43); Formatted crew information with full proper names; MACR 15609; Edited description with military-style date designations.

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Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 15069 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

41-24609: Gallery (1 items)